Proteins protect against heart attack

PILLS that keep the body's repair system on constant alert could limit damage from heart attacks.

Paul Riley at University College London and colleagues identified a rich source of dormant stem cells in the epicardium, the innermost layer of the sac which surrounds the heart. They also found that thymosin beta-4, a peptide naturally produced by the body, could reawaken and mobilise these stem cells to repair heart damage.

Mice in the lab were more likely to survive a heart attack if they had received daily injections of thymosin beta-4 a week beforehand. Their stem cells were active within 24 hours of the attack instead of a week, and they produced larger numbers. The treated mice regrew more heart muscle than the untreated mice and their hearts pumped better (Nature, DOI: 10.1038/nature10188).

Constantly priming the same reservoirs of stem cells in people could help them survive heart attacks. "We envisage taking an oral tablet to keep these cells in a primed state, so if you did have a heart attack, you might be able to better repair your heart," says Riley.

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